More than the locking up the spirits a time, Queen. No further fervice, Doctor, Until I fend for thee. Cor. I humbly take my leave. [Exit. Queen. Weeps the ftill, fay'ft thou? doft thou think, in time She will not quench, and let inftructions enter Who cannot be new built, and has no friends, [Pifanio takes up the Phial. Thou know'ft not what; but take it for thy labour; It is a thing I make, which hath the King Five times redeeem'd from death; I do not know That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how I'll move the King inclines towards its fall. that leans? That Το To any fhape of thy preferment, fuch [Exit Pifanio. The hand faft to her Lord.-I've given him that, Enter Pifanio, and Ladies. So, fo; well done, well done. The violets, cowlips, and the primroses, Think on my words. Pif. And fhall do: [Exeunt Queen and Ladies. [Exit, But when to my good Lord I prove untrue, Imo. A Changes to Imogen's Apartments. Enter Imogen alone. Father cruel, and a Stepdame false, A foolish fuitor to a wedded lady, That hath her husband banish'd—O, that husband! My fupreme crown of grief, and those repeated 8 Of leigers for her Sweet;-] A leiger ambaffador, is one that refides at a foreign court, to promote his master's intereft. Vexations Vexations of it-Had I been thief-ftoll'n, As my two brothers, happy! but most miserable Is the defire, that's glorious. Bless'd be those, How mean foe'er, that have their honeft wills, Which feafons comfort. Who may this be? fy! Enter Pifanio, and Iachimo. Pif. Madam, a noble Gentleman of Rome The worthy Leonatus is in fafety, And greets your Highness dearly. Imo. Thanks, good Sir, You're kindly welcome. [Gives a Letter. Iach. All of her, that is out of door, moft rich! If the be furnish'd with a mind so rare, 9 but most miferable Is the defire, that's glorious.-] Her husband, fhe fays, proves her fupreme grief. She had been happy had the been ftoln as her brothers were, but now fhe is miferable, as all those are who have a fenfe of worth and honour fuperior to the vulgar, which occafions them infinite vexations from the envious and worthlefs part of mankind. Had the not so refined a tafte as to be content only with the fuperior merit of Pofihumus, but could have taken up with Cloten, fhe might have efcaped thefe perfecutions. This elegance of tafte, which always difcovers an excellence and chufes it, the calls with great fublimity of expreffion, The defire that's glorious; which the Oxford Editor not understanding alters to, The degree that's glorious. WARB. [Afide. •Bless'd be thofe, How mean foe'er, that have their boneft wills, Which feafons comfort.-] The laft words are equivocal; but thè meaning is this. Who are beholden only to the seasons for their fupport and nourishments; fo that, if those be kindly, such have no more to care for or defire. WARBURTON. I am willing to comply with any meaning that can be extorted from the prefent text, rather than change it, yet will propose, but with great diffidence, a flight alteration: -Bless'd be thefe, How mean foe'er, that have their boneft wills, With reafon's comfort. Who gratify their innocent wishes with reasonable enjoyments. She She is alone th' Arabian bird; and I Have loft the wager. Boldnefs be my friend! Or, like the Parthian, I fhall flying fight, He is one of the most infinitely tied. value your trust. Imogen reads. nobleft note, to whofe kindnesses I am So far I read aloud: But ev❜n the very middle of my heart Leonatus. Is warm'd by th' reft, and takes it thankfully. Jach. Thanks, faireft Lady. -What! are men mad? hath nature given them 2 eyes 2 and the rich CROP Of fea and land, -] He is here fpeaking of the covering of fea and land, Shakespear therefore wrote, and the rich COPE. WARBURTON. 3 —and the twinn'd stones Upon the number'd beach? I have no idea, in what fenfe the beach, or fhore, fhould be called number'd, I have ventured, against all the copies, to fubftitute, Upon th' unnumber'd beach? i, e. the infinite extenfive beach, if we are to understand the epithet as coupled to that word, [Afide. Partition Partition make with fpectacles fo precious 'Twixt fair and foul? Imo. What makes your admiration? lach. It cannot be i' th' eye; for apes and monkeys, 'Twixt two fuch fhe's, would chatter this way, and Contemn with mowes the other: Ner i' th' judgment, For Ideots, in this case of favour, would Be wifely definite: Nor i' th' appetite : Slutt'ry, to fuch neat excellence oppos'd, 4 Should make defire vomit emptiness, Not fo allur'd to feed. Imo. What is the matter, trow? lach. The cloyed will, That fatiate, yet unfatisfy'd desire, That tub, both fill'd and running; ravening first Imo. What, Dear Sir, thus raps you? are you well? Iach. Thanks, Madam, well-Befeech you, Sir, [To Pifanio. Defire my man's abode, where I did leave him; 5 He's ftrange, and peevish. I know not well how to regulate this paffage. Number'd is Number'd is perhaps numerous. Twinn'd ftones, I do not understand. Twinn'd fells, or pairs of shells, are very common. For twinn'd, we might read, twin'd; that is, twisted, convolved: But this fenfe is more applicable to fhells than to ftones. • Should make defire vomit emptinefs, Not fo allur'd to feed.] i. e. that appetite, which is not allured to feed on fuch excellence, can have no ftomach at all; but, though empty, muft naufeate every thing. WARBURTON. I explain this paffage in a fenfe almioft contrary. lachime, in this counterfeited rapture, has fhewn how the eyes and the judgment would determine in favour of Imogen, comparing her with the prefent mistress of Pofthumus, and proceeds to fay, that appetite too would give the fame fuffrage. Defire, fays he, when it approach'd fluttery, and confidered it in comparison with fuch neat excellence, would not only be not fo allur'd to feed, but, seized with a fit of loathing, would vomit emptiness, would feel the convul fions of difguft, though, being unfed, it had nothing to eject. 5 He's frange and peevish.] He's a foreigner, and easily fretted... |